THE EMPTY I. THEIR COMPASSION: (vs. 1)

Jesus Is Risen Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day :1-10 of the week, and the other Mary came to look The powerful climax of God’s purposed plan for the redemption of man at the grave (vs. 1)... is the resurrection of ...the payment for the wages of sin... As it began to dawn...John states that it was still dark (:1) victory over death...His gift of eternal life. The resurrection is the ...on the first day of the week...Sunday... several women went to cornerstone of the Christian faith. Everything that we are...everything the tomb of Jesus. Matthew mentions Mary Magdalene and the we have...everything we hope...is predicated on its reality. There would other Mary (the mother of James the Less and Joseph). Mark be no if there were no resurrection. adds ...the wife of and the mother of James and The message of Scripture has always been a message of resurrection John...while Luke mentions Joanna. These are the same women hope...a message that death isn’t the end for those whose belong to God. who kept vigil from a distance during the crucifixion.

For the believer, death has never been an end...but rather the transition Came to look at the grave...They hadn’t come to come see Jesus that leads to eternity with God. risen...they expected His body to still be there. They knew where The promised hope of God’s people throughout history is predicated on had been laid for they had seen Joseph and the Christ. That’s why Paul wrote... lay His body in the tomb and roll the stone over the door of the tomb (:56). “Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But now, the women were returning to the tomb since the Sabbath But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been was over in order to anoint Jesus’ body for permanent burial. raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false wit- mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might nesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, come and anoint Him.” whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the ~:1 dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then As they approached...they were talking among themselves and were those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have wondering how they were going to get into the tomb since the stone hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. that had been place over the entrance to the tomb was a very large stone. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep...The last enemy that will be abolished is death.” “They were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone ~I Corinthians 15:12-20, 26 for us from the entrance of the tomb?’ Looking up, they saw that

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single greatest event in the history the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large.” ~Mark 16:3-4 of the world. It’s so foundational to Christianity that no one who denies it can be a true Christian. Without resurrection there is no Christian II. THEIR FEAR: (vs. 2-5) faith...no salvation...and no hope. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an of Jesus Himself even stated... the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it (vs. 2)... “ the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.” As they were approaching...there was a severe earthquake. An ~:25 angel had come down from heaven to open the secured and sealed grave...and when he arrived, he rolled the stone away from the He had told them several times that He would rise on the third day entrance of the tomb. When they arrived they saw him sitting upon (:12; :23; :19). If He had the stone. failed to rise...He would have been a deceiver unworthy of further

The angel moved the stone not to let Jesus out...but to let the devotion. One proof He had risen was the . There women and the apostles in! women were encouraged to come and see the place where the Lord had been lying. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow (vs. 3)... Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into , there The appearance of the angel was like lighting...electrifying...and you will see Him; behold, I have told you (vs. 7)... his clothes were white as snow. The description suggests that God transmitted some of His own Shekinah glory to the angel...just as Then the angel told them to go quickly and tell the disciples that He had done to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34). He had risen from the dead. Soon, Peter and John would come to the tomb to see for themselves what the women had reported...that Mark and Luke add that there was a second angel inside the tomb, the tomb was empty and that Jesus had risen from the dead. also wearing a dazzling white robe (Mark 16:5; :4). They also told the disciples that He said that He would be going The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men ahead of them into Galilee...just as He had earlier told them (vs. 4)...The Roman soldiers guarding the tomb were so frightened (:32). by the angel and the events that were taking place, that they shook Galilee...a key city in the . and apparently fainted...completely traumatized. They became like dead men.  It was where Jesus began His ministry.

Shook...A Greek term that has the same root as earthquake in  It was where the disciples would receive the .

verse 2...indicating that the soldiers experienced a kind of personal  It was where Jesus appeared to more than five hundred earthquake...a seizure. believers at one time following His resurrection.

The soldiers had been sent there to seal and guard the tomb, but  It was where Jesus commissioned the eleven to their apostolic their power was useless before this angelic messenger. ministry.

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that They would see Him there...and indeed they did (Matthew 28:16- you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.” (vs. 5)... 20; :1-23). These words didn’t preclude the fact that He Though the soldiers were afraid, the angel had a special message would appear to them on other occasions...as He did later that same for the women. He said to them to not be afraid as he announced day (John 20:19-25).

the fact of the Resurrection...for the One they sought was no longer And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran there. Luke adds the quote... to report it to His disciples (vs. 8)...

“...Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not The women obeyed the angel’s instructions as they hurried away here, but He has risen...” from the tomb, looking for the disciples so they could tell them the ~Luke 24:5b-6a good news. Even though they were filled with joy over the fact of III. THEIR JOY: (vs. 6-8) the Resurrection...they were afraid because there was no way they

He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the could possibly comprehend the full implication of this momentous event. place where He was lying (vs. 6)...

IV. THEIR WORSHIP: (vs. 9) LESSONS WE CAN LEARN:

And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came  The resurrection of Jesus guarantees your resurrection too. Life is up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him (vs. 9)... not a constant repeating cycle of the same old same old. Under God's

As the women were on their way to tell the disciples what had rule this world is marching toward a conclusion. Your life is being happened...suddenly Jesus met them and greeted them. Hearing carried to a glorious end. There will be a moment when God will His greeting, they recognized Him immediately and they fell at His raise you out of this broken world, and sin and suffering will be no more. feet and began to worship Him.

They did what every person...unbeliever as well as believer...will  The resurrection tells you Jesus now reigns. I Corinthians 15 says do one day. When He comes again... that He will continue to reign until the final enemy is under His feet. This world...your world...isn’t out of control but under the careful “At the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in control of One who is still doing His sin-defeating work. heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the  The resurrection promises you all the grace you need between Father.” Jesus's resurrection and yours. If your end has already been ~Philippians 2:10-11 guaranteed...then all the grace you need along the way has been guaranteed as well, or you would never make it to your appointed By His appearance, Jesus alleviated their fears and repeated the end. Future grace always carries with it the promise of present same message the angel had previously given (vs. 5)...Do not be grace. afraid!

These women had heard the angel’s proclamation of the  The resurrection of Jesus should motivate you to righteousness resurrection...they had seen the empty tomb...now they saw the and obedience...no matter what you are facing. The resurrection risen Lord...and they even touched His glorified body. They could tells you that God will win. Sin will be defeated. Righteousness will now do nothing but adore and worship Him! overcome evil. Now, it’s just a matter of your obedience.

V. THEIR HOPE: (vs. 10)

Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.” (vs. 10)...

Jesus told them to go and tell the disciples...He even called them, My brethren. He told them to go to Galilee and that He would meet them there...that He would appear to them there...that they would see Him there.

The Galilean ministry of Jesus was prominent in Matthew’s and it was only natural for Jesus to meet His disciples there. They were all from Galilee and that’s where they would have been returning to after the Feast.